Wake Me Up Later
by AniHanki
Summary: "With great power comes... great need to take a nap..." 30 reasons why Nico di Angelo has to stay alive, enjoy the small joys of life, and just breathing air. Nico!Centric one-shots and drabbles/Post HoO
1. Sunrise

**Wake me up Later**

**16. Sunrise**

* * *

Nico di Angelo slowly opened his dark eyes. It was early in the morning, way early. Everyone was probably sleeping, like usual. Still dark out, not as dark as night, but it was still okay to Nico - who preferred the dark. He was a morning person much as he was a night person, he was pretty much sleep deprived. His ADHD will kick in sometimes, making him stay up two days straight and collapse somewhere in China.

He stretched, grabbed his sweater, and headed outside. Each step he took seemed to weigh more than the last, making him hunch. He opened the door of his cabin and the familiar cold air hit him. He could see the bright streak of light coming from the horizon.

He inhaled and walked to the back of his cabin. He crawled to the roof, the breeze was much colder up there.

He could see the dark blue of the sky turning lighter. He breathed in, breathed out. Then the sun was out, its rays warming up his cold body slightly. He could see the purples and blues fading, turning into pinks and yellows and sky blue.

He didn't like the sun very much or big bright spaces, but he appreciated breathing in and out – happy he survived another day to see the next begin.


	2. Dewdrops

**Wake me up Later**

**19. Dewdrops**

* * *

The sun was up. It was bright and warm, the world was alive and breathing. Nico thought he could hear Apollo's laugh.

It was time for Nico to start his day, to start off – he had to put his feet on the ground. He dusted himself off lightly and jumped, his feet landing on the wet grass that were soaked my dewdrops. He could feel his shows getting wet. The air was fresh, ground was wet, and it was morning.

Dewdrops were signaling early morning, after dark. The small drops made the place sparkle, almost, with the sun's reflection. Nico smiled. He heard the camp laugh and groan. It was another day.


	3. Day

**Wake Me Up Later**

**02. Day**

* * *

During the day, with the sun out, Nico would prefer to stay in the woods if he was at camp. His skin easily burned from staying in the underworld and he didn't like exposure to the sun.

But he did like being active. Especially sparring. On practice dummies. He also did like climbing up the wall or walking around. But there were too many people and Nico doesn't like too many people. He likes them and they like him, but he just prefer not to be with more than ten people surrounding him.

So he goes to breakfast before most of the camp does, finishes breakfast before most of the camp does. He walks around, trying to digest his food. Usually by the trees, because by then it's already hot. And then he spars.

He thinks about the past three years of his life while sparring. The danger of losing precious people. So by day, he trains.


	4. Smiles

**Wake Me Up Later**

**20. Smiles**

* * *

When you first meet Nico di Angelo, he probably isn't going to be smiling – unlike Percy or Leo – but that doesn't mean he doesn't smile at all. Just not all the time. But when he did, Nico felt a bit light-headed and he felt being lifted and his muscles moved upwards and lips curled. He smiled during training, finished showers, finished sparring. He enjoyed smiles.

Nico enjoyed smiles more when the people around him smiled. When the camp was singing and laughing at the camp fire, Nico smiled. It was a pleasant, happy feeling. He just didn't express it often.


	5. Flowers

**Wake Me Up Later**

**14. Flowers**

* * *

If Nico di Angelo died, he would probably be able to see flowers. When Nico visited the Underworld, he spent a lot of time at Persephone's garden. He doesn't do much, he just observes the bright plants. The flowers were the only thing alive in the Land of the Dead.

So if he died, he would probably see living flowers. But they weren't the same as the living world. There was an eerie, heavy aura in the Persephone's Garden. So when Nico went back to the living world, he was happy to see the flowers swaying with a light breeze.


	6. Sunset

**Wake Me Up Later**

**17. Sunset**

* * *

Nico wasn't sure if liked sunsets or not. It meant the end of the day, finally people could rest. It meant the cold that Nico missed during the day. It meant the sky was growing darker, something Nico liked.

But it also meant Nico was up. It also meant not knowing who was following you. It also meant no laughs or smiles to surround him.

But it was quiet, he could travel to different places or think about his thought in the quiet. So as he watched the sunset on top of his cabin, he thought the sunset was too familiar for him to dislike it.


	7. Night

**Wake Me Up Later**

**03. Night**

_A/n: Not the best._

* * *

Besides the creepy factor, Nico felt at home when the sun had set completely. He had the stars and the moon for light, his jacket for warmth, and shadows for company.

He would travel places, it was too hot during the day. If he wasn't in camp, he slept right after sunrise. If he was in camp, he would be at the forest or be talking to Lady Hestia or be on the roof of his cabin.

He was alone to think. No crowds, which was easier to breathe in. His eyes adjusted better. It reminded him of the Underworld – of his father, mother, and sister.


	8. Memories

**Wake Me Up Later**

**08. Memories**

_A/N: I like this one~_

* * *

Sometimes Nico remembered when he was saved by a group of demigods when he was ten. He remembered falling in love. He remembered laughing with Bianca. Laughing with his new friends at camp.

He then remembered saving the world. His father pride. Acceptance at his camp.

And then he remembered all the camp games. Camp Jupiter. Meeting Hazel. He remembers feeling the excitement run through his veins as he defeats monsters after monster.

He remembers all of that, and he thinks that – just maybe – his life isn't that bad after all.


	9. Sleeping In

**Wake Me Up Later**

**07. Sleeping in**

* * *

There was no sunrise in the Underworld. So when Nico visited his father, he didn't get up to see the sunset. He slept in.

His bed was comfy, he made sure of that. And it was cold, so Nico had an excuse for all the blankets around him. He usually woke up around eleven, but you don't really know time in the Land of the Dead.

He would wake up, open his eyes and close his eyes again. Then he would stretch and desperately fight the urge to go back to bed.


	10. Places to Visit

**Wake Me Up Later**

**10. Places to Visit**

* * *

Despite Shadow Traveling, Nico still hasn't visited many places. He has been to Italy, Greece, Rome a couple of times. China once or twice. But Nico hasn't been to Germany or Denmark.

Nico hasn't even explored his own country, he wanted to visit Florida (Even though it was quite sunny, but then he has been to California.) or Virginia. He wanted to go to Canada and Mexico.

The world was too big and NIco wanted to go everywhere, so he couldn't stop exploring just yet.


	11. Night Sky

**Wake Me Up Later**

**18. Moon and Stars**

* * *

Nico used to wonder why he could sometimes see the moon even though the sun was up. Greek mythology couldn't prove that right?

He asked Apollo, and he said 'Sometimes my sister keeps me company. You see, she has the stars and I do not have anything but the blue sky.'

And Nico looked up at the night sky later on, and saw that there was too many stars to count. It was beautiful, and Nico knew that he wouldn't be able to see this night sky if he died.


	12. Neon Lights

**Wake Me Up Later**

**01. Neon Lights**

* * *

When Percy Jackson took Nico di Angelo to downtown New York, Nico was too distracted to focus on Percy himself.

There were neon signs, colors, lights. Everything was bright and colorful, it was quite the change thirteen-year old Nico di Angelo. Signs that read 'Open' and such. He felt like going through downtown went to fast, everything was more like a blur. They passed by different stores, with different signs. Nico didn't hear any of the noise that surrounded them.

Downtown was bright, light, and neon. Nico was attracted to the lights, mesmerized by the glowing color.


	13. First Snow

Wake Me Up Later

06. First Snow

_A/N: ugh I do not know where I was going with this_

* * *

Nico di Angelo did not know what to think of snow. He adored snow, it was white and pretty. When it touched his skin, it melted right away. When he was little, he stuck his tongue out while Bianca scolded him.

It was cold, like Nico was used to. So when they allowed the first snow in camp, Nico immediately walked out of his cabin to feel the fresh snow on his fingertips. It was cold, but pretty. It melted at his touch. It was soft.

Nico di Angelo liked winter a lot, especially the first snow fall.


	14. First Kiss

Wake Me Up Later

05. First Kiss

_A/N: I don't like this one either…_

* * *

Nico is fourteen, so hormones start kicking in around that time. So matter how you look at it, Nico di Angelo dreams about first kisses.

He thinks that it should sweet and short, but not as a 'farewell' kiss. A 'I-love-you-so-much' kiss.

Nico doesn't know much about love, but he thinks that if he ever did kiss anybody, it would be a person he loved. Just a 'i-love-you-so-much' kiss.


	15. Hot Chocolate

**Wake Me Up Later**

**10. Hot Chocolate**

* * *

Hot Chocolate was delicious. It was sweet and it warmed Nico all the way to his toes. When he walked into his cabin during an extremely cold day, he made himself Hot Chocolate. He breathe the essence in, enjoying the warmth.

With each sweet sip, he was warmed up 500% more than he was five minutes ago. It was nice, enjoying the warm drink and the fire that he would set up in his cabin if he wasn't lazy. Laying on the bed after the satisfying drink filling him up was one of Nico's favorite things.


	16. Happiness

**Wake Me Up Later**

**22. Happiness**

* * *

Happiness didn't mean smiling or laughing. It meant having please emotions – well according to Wikipedia that Nico checked. It was hard having 'pleasant' emotions when you were a demigod – monsters constantly out for you, you're probably never going to have a normal life, and it's really hard to get a boyfriend.

But happiness was when Nico's head was light and he felt like rolling through a hill of daisies or something stupid like that. Nico wanted to puke at the thought. But Nico was happy when he ate a happy meal or when he breathed air so being happy wasn't that bad.


	17. Pillows

**Wake Me Up Later**

**28. Pillows**

* * *

In his cabin, Nico's pillows were gray. He liked that better than white pillows because white stained easily. But then you couldn't see drool – but that wasn't the point.

Nico needed at least two pillows (but he had four) to be comfortable. One body pillow and one for his head. Nico really, really liked body pillows. Before, Bianca and him would share the same bed. But because it was always cold, they needed each other for warmth. The body pillow was just a memory, a routine that Nico had fallen into.

During quests and such, he always hugged the nearest thing next to him.


	18. Water

**Wake Me Up Later**

**23. Water**

* * *

When Nico sees Tantalus (any cursed person actually) he is so happy for water. Water was life that everyone just took for granted. But if you were stuck for millions of years, not able to drink water but had water right in front of you – life was tough.

He kept a water dispenser by his bedside, when he woke up, stretched, he would drink water. Bianca had told him to drink at least eight glasses a day after all. He would drink water, the liquid soothing his sore throat and calming his nerves.


	19. Summer

**Wake Me Up Later**

**09. Summer**

* * *

It was hot, but Nico still kept his aviator jacket on. He was still colder than most people. At the moment, he stood by his cabin door, pondering on whether or not to take his jacket off in the sweltering heat.

The reasonable answer would be yes. Take the jacket off and wear the camp half-blood shirt and not be hot.

The Nico-di-Angelo answer would be no. Stick to your pride and sweat.

(He chose to take his jacket off in the end, giving him conflicting feelings if he liked his jacket off or on)


	20. Fishing

**Wake Me Up Later**

**26. Fishing**

* * *

Even if Nico was accustomed to the life of a demigod, that didn't mean he didn't wanted to deprive himself from 'fatherly' activities – like fishing.

That would explain why he was by some lake in the US (he thinks he's in the Great Lakes, but he's not completely sure) fishing. He went fishing three times in his life, two times with Bianca and one time at camp.

The sun is rising and Nico can see the Sears Tower and he realizes he's fishing in Chicago. He feels himself smiling.


	21. Laughter

**Wake Me Up Later**

**08. Laughter**

* * *

Nico di Angelo smiled, but he didn't laugh. Well, he didn't laugh as often as he smiled – which was very minimal.

Laughter was an easy thing to Nico before – before his twelve-year old emotions, the Second Titan War, and Tartarus. In Tartarus, he let out maniacal laughter when he felt like there was no hope.

But sometimes he'll try to chuckle at Leo's self-assuring jokes or Percy's sarcastic comments, it made him feel giddy.


	22. Flying

**Wake Me Up Later**

**29. Flying**

* * *

Like every kid, Nico di Angelo wanted to fly and touch the clouds. But as a demigod, where flying was a bit some kind of 'normal' he didn't have the chance to enjoy flying. He was constantly worried about monsters behind their back or other sort of things.

But after they defeated Gaea, they could fly in peace. Nico would lay down, and watch the sky in front of him. And when it was finally cloudy, he got to touch the clouds.

He felt like he was in some kind of movie.


	23. Colors

**Wake Me Up Later**

**11. Colors**

* * *

You know those moments, where you stare at your hand and you wonder how it moves? How you see? Nico di Angelo was thinking that. The eyes see so much colors, like how is it there.

How is that flower red? How is the grass green? Scientists use pigments and light to describe it, but Nico finds it a great wonder.

The sparking blue of the water that reflects the sky. The lovely brown at Leo's bunker. Nico loved it all. (Of course, he did wear black most of the time. But his favorite color is blue.)


	24. Eyes

**Wake Me Up Later**

**12. Eyes**

* * *

Nico believes his eyes are a bit boring, their just dark. He thinks Leo's eyes are nice, brown and full of emotions. Thalia's eyes are bright, startling blue and Jason has deep blue eyes like the sky. Annabeth's eyes are amazing, their gray and different.

Maybe that's why.

Nico loves Percy's eyes. He would think a lot of people would agree on him on that. For an outsider's point of view, anybody would see that Percy had nice eyes. Their green, with blue thrown in, and sometimes you can see spots of brown. They look like the ocean.


	25. Fresh Air

**Wake Me Up Later**

**13. Fresh Air**

Nico liked the cold, because it meant fresh air. And fresh air was good. When he breathed in clean air, he felt like he was cleansing his soul. He figured out why people did yoga outside.

But when he breathed in, he smelled the dirt underneath him, the trees around him. It just smelled good.

When he breathed out, it felt like all the bad things left him. Breathing was now an exercise for him, to calm him down. It was pacifying, also a nice way to spend time.


	26. Protecting Others

**Wake Me Up Later**

**25. Protecting Others**

* * *

Nico found out that most demigods were reckless (particularly one demigod). Nico himself was also reckless, so that's why he would put his life on the line for people. It was a good feeling, he felt brave. But when he stood in front of people for protection, he never thought of anything.

He just wanted to protect, to do something good with his life.

He had to live that way some stupid people won't die. (Particularly one person.)


	27. People Who Care

**Wake Me Up Later**

**24. People Who Care**

* * *

Nico had accepted this a long time ago, that people did care for him. Of course, he tried not to believe it. He was not worthy of that. He was a terrible, disgusting person that no one should care about.

But he knew that some did care. Hazel would look at him as if he was younger (although he was older) and the crew would worry about him.

He felt bad, knowing they cared. It gave him responsibility to make sure they weren't worried.

But it also felt nice. No one really worried for him after Bianca.


	28. Friends

**Wake Me Up Later**

**27. Friends**

* * *

Friends? Well, it said someone you like to be with and are attached to. Nico tried to think. He didn't like to be around Leo, nor was he attached.

Maybe he was.

Leo and the whole Argo II had grown on him. It was like a family. You really not might like them, but you accept them.

Friends are family who you aren't related to, and you accept them for who they are. Well, that's what Nico thought should be the definition.


	29. Him

**Wake Me Up Later**

**30. Him**

_A/N: Two more chapters! Thank you all for the reviews/follows/favorites! These last two chapters are really special so I do hope you read them!_

* * *

Nico knew what love was. He loved Bianca, Hazel, and he somewhat had affection for the Argo II.

But being in love was different.

Nico fell in love with Percy Jackson. There was no denying it. Percy Jackson was beautiful, irritating, wonderful, reckless, amazing, words couldn't describe him. Nico had fallen in love. It was wrong, so wrong. This kind of love was terrible, scary, horrifying. But sometimes, when Percy smiled and laughed – it was wonderful. He felt like he was on top of the world.

Nico purpose in life was to be for Percy Jackson, whether to venture into Tartarus or to step-aside and watch from the side-lines or to protect him.

So, Nico couldn't die just yet, unless it was for Percy Jackson.


	30. Growing Old

**Wake Me Up Later**

**21. Growing Old**

_A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews/favorites/follows! It's been a great thirty days with all of you! I'm publishing a Percico AU oneshot soon, so keep on a look out for that! I'm also writing a Valdangelo AU too!_

_Also, this great person JennaFloyd – is translating this story in Portuguese! _

_Thank you all (IZEnderson, especially!)_

* * *

It was difficult for demigods to grow up and have a life of their own. Nico was amazed when he visited New Rome at first, people of all ages with children and grandchildren.

He wondered if it was nice. Of course, he Camp Half-blood was his home. He knew that. But what if he could settle down, no more monsters, no more worries. Sleeping more, relaxing his back, eating more. Just sitting at the porch, staying alive, enjoying the small things of life, and just breathing.

Nico would like that. So he had to survive. He had to live. He smiled to himself, breathed in, breathed out.


End file.
